Outdoor Education Center to Close to Public During Events

February 11, 2016 Leave a comment


The indoor archery range at the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center in Lincoln will close to public use because of events, competitions or holidays on Feb. 13, Feb. 20 -21, Feb. 27, March 26, and March 27.

The family-friendly facility, located at 4703 N. 44th St., fosters learning for all ages and skill levels. It includes indoor archery and firearm ranges, as well as an outdoor archery range. For more information, call 402-471-6141 or visit http://outdoornebraska.gov/outdooredcenter/.

Regular business hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from noon – 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon – 6 p.m. The indoor facility is closed on Wednesdays, while the outdoor archery range is open every day.

Filed under Community Tagged with , , ,

Discover Ice Fishing On-Ice Clinic at Kearney’s Yanney Lake Canceled

January 15, 2016 Leave a comment


The Discover Ice Fishing on-ice clinic scheduled for Jan. 16 at Kearney’s Yanney Lake has been canceled because of a lack of safe ice. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will not reschedule the clinic.

Still scheduled is the Nebraska Fish and Game Association’s classroom clinic at Yanney Heritage Park’s Environmental Resource Center, 2020 W. 11th St., from 8 a.m. – noon. Registration is requested. Email Harold Fankhauser at harold@nefga.org to sign up.

Filed under Community Tagged with , ,

Check on Ice Conditions Before Discover Ice Fishing Clinic

January 4, 2016 Leave a comment


The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will post a notice Jan. 6 at 4 p.m. if ice conditions are deemed unsafe for an upcoming Discover Ice Fishing clinic.

The clinic is scheduled for Jan. 9 at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park’s CenturyLink Lake from 1 – 4 p.m.

Six inches of ice is required to conduct this free clinic. Ice conditions will be determined Jan. 6. If necessary, a cancellation notice will be posted by 4 p.m. at OutdoorNebraska.org. Anglers also may check Nebraska Game and Parks’ Family Fishing page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/#!/familyfishingnebraska or call 402-471-0641 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The event would not be rescheduled.

This clinic is designed to give families and ice anglers of all skill levels guidance on techniques, equipment, bait and safety. Loaner equipment will be available, but participants are encouraged to bring their own equipment. Hot cocoa will be served.

A park entry permit is required at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, located near Ashland. All fishing regulations apply.

Filed under Community Tagged with , , ,

Public Invited to Free Family Archery Events

November 28, 2015 Leave a comment


Join the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission on consecutive weekends in December for a day of free family-friendly archery. All ages and experience levels are welcome. Equipment is provided.

The Dec. 5 event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Roger G. Sykes Outdoor Heritage Education Complex at Platte River State Park. The Dec. 12 open house will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Nebraska Game and Parks Outdoor Education Center in Lincoln.

Archery, 3-D archery, crossbows, tomahawk throwing, and an indoor firearm range will be available. There also will be campground games, kids’ crafts, and hot chocolate and s’mores. All activities are offered at no cost. A valid Nebraska State Park Permit is required for the Platte River State Park event.

Learn more about each Archery on Fire event online.

Filed under Community Tagged with , ,

Deer Hunting Prospects Looking Great

November 7, 2015 Leave a comment


Excitement is building as the Nov. 14 opener of Nebraska’s firearm deer season approaches.

Hunting prospects look good as restrictions on antlerless deer permits in recent years have resulted in deer population increases in most areas of the state.

Plenty of permits are still available. Permits and stamps may be purchased online or at any Game and Parks permitting office.

Find more resources and information on the news release.

Filed under Community Tagged with , ,

Hunters Urged to Use Caution During Big Game Seasons

November 6, 2015 Leave a comment


With moose being reported in the Panhandle this year and a confirmed sighting of a young bull in Lincoln County this week the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is urging hunters to be certain of their target before taking a shot.

Moose can be similar in appearance to other big game animals. Moose are large animals with a “bell” or large piece of skin under their necks; they have a pronounced shoulder hump and bulls (males) will have palmated antlers. Moose also have long, whitish colored legs and are dark brown in color.

Hunters will want to study game closely before firing a shot or releasing an arrow.

Game and Parks officials also remind people to keep their distance from any moose they may encounter as some have been known to become aggressive.

Filed under Community Tagged with , ,

Hunters Enjoy Increased Bird Numbers on Opening Weekend

November 5, 2015 Leave a comment


Hunters across the state saw noticeably improved hunting for pheasant and quail on the opening weekend of the season Oct. 31 – Nov. 1, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Hunters contacted by conservation officers reported more birds than in recent years and generally reported good success.

Southwest Nebraska provided the most consistent hunting in the state. Good numbers of pheasants were seen across the region, particularly in Lincoln, Hayes, Perkins, Dundy, Chase, and Red Willow counties.

Improved quail numbers were consistently reported across the Southeast region, but pheasant hunting success was more variable. Pheasant hunters on public hunting areas in the Rainwater Basins reported seeing good numbers of birds.

The Northeast region saw improved hunting in areas where sufficient grassland cover remained. Successful pheasant hunters were reported in Madison, Knox, Burt, Thurston, Dixon, Pierce, and Antelope counties.

Unharvested crop fields hampered hunters in the Northwest region, but good numbers of pheasants were reported. The highest hunting pressure and success appeared to be in Box Butte County.

Hunting conditions across the state are expected to improve in the coming weeks as the weather cools, more crop fields are harvested, and hunting pressure declines. Additionally, rain prior to opening weekend made travel difficult and many minimum maintenance roads were impassable on opening day. Good habitat conditions prevail across the state, which is good news for birds and hunters alike.

To view the Commission’s full upland game hunting forecast, visit OutdoorNebraska.org, and then click on Hunting, Upland Game, and Forecast. Hunters can find public hunting sites, as well as private sites open to public walk-in hunting, in the Nebraska Public Access Atlas. Go to OutdoorNebraska.org, and then click on Guides.

The pheasant and quail seasons run through Jan. 31, 2016.

Filed under Community Tagged with , , ,

Prospects Look Good for Pheasant Season

October 29, 2015 Leave a comment


Upland game hunters across Nebraska will have improved prospects during this year’s pheasant season, which opens Oct. 31. Pheasant numbers are 55 percent higher than last year.

Nebraska’s weather has been kind to the state’s upland game this year. The state has experienced relatively mild winters recently, which has aided over-winter survival of pheasants. The more pheasants – particularly hens – that survive the winter, the larger the breeding stock is for the breeding season.

The favorable spring weather this year allowed pheasant populations to increase in relatively short order. Rainfall this past spring appears to not have occurred during the sensitive phases of the nesting and brood-rearing periods; chicks during the first week or so of life cannot regulate their own body temperatures and have low survival if they become wet and catch a chill.

The timely spring rainfall also produced abundant vegetation, which in turn produced abundant insects. The insects provide chicks with food they need to grow and develop into healthy adult birds. Having adequate nutrition during development can result in healthier adult birds and possibly increase their survival through the winter. The vegetation also provided ample habitat for nesting and for brood-rearing, which had been lacking.

Surveys this year have indicated that pheasant abundance was higher in all regions of the state compared to 2014. The southwest and Panhandle regions should offer the best hunting opportunities this year, but better opportunities should be available statewide.

The season runs through Jan. 31, 2016. The entire state is open to pheasant hunting, although no hunting is allowed on state refuges and sanctuaries. Only rooster pheasants may be harvested. The daily bag limit is three and the possession limit is 12.

Quail season dates are the same as for pheasant. Surveys have indicated increases in abundance of quail compared to 2014 across almost all of the quail’s range. Habitat conditions were excellent for production and brood-rearing across the state. The southeast and south central parts of the state should offer the best opportunities this year, but there will be good opportunities throughout quail range.

To view the full report, visit OutdoorNebraska.org, and then click on Hunting, Upland Game, and Forecast. Hunters can find public hunting sites as well as private sites open to public walk-in hunting in the Nebraska Public Access Atlas. Go to OutdoorNebraska.org, and then click on Guides.

Filed under Community Tagged with , , ,

Special Youth Pheasant Hunt

October 21, 2015 Leave a comment


The statewide youth pheasant, quail and partridge season is Oct. 24–25 and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission again will have a special youth pheasant hunt on 10 wildlife management areas (WMA).

Youth ages 15 and younger are encouraged to participate. Rooster pheasants will be released at specific WMAs before the special youth hunt season. The special hunts are open to the public, and the number of participants is not limited. No registration or special permit is required. Special regulations posted at each of the 10 WMAs will apply to all portions of the designated areas normally open to hunting. All other current youth and regular hunting regulations also will be in effect on these designated areas.

Pheasants will be released at the following WMAs: Pressey (Custer County); Sherman Reservoir (Sherman County); Oak Valley (Madison County); Branched Oak (Lancaster County); Twin Oaks (Johnson County); Hickory Ridge (Johnson County); Wilkinson (Platte County); Peru Bottoms (Nemaha County), Yankee Hill (Lancaster County) and Cornhusker (Hall County).

The special regulations on these WMAs include:

— Only nontoxic shot may be used at Wilkinson and Peru Bottoms.

— Adult mentors must be licensed hunters age 19 or older to accompany a youth.

— Adult mentors may harvest one rooster pheasant per day only.

— The 10 WMAs are the only locations where adults may harvest pheasants during the youth season.

— Cornhusker WMA is a new addition to the list of hunting sites this year.

— Only one adult mentor per youth will be allowed to hunt (additional non-hunting mentors may accompany the youth on the hunt).

— Youth may harvest two roosters per day.

This is the fifth year of the pheasant releases during the special youth season, which is intended to increase youth participation in upland game hunting.

Filed under Community Tagged with , ,

Use Caution to Avoid Collisions with Deer

October 19, 2015 Leave a comment


Deer are more active this time of the fall. Crops are being harvested and deer breeding season is in full swing. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has suggestions to help drivers avoid deer-vehicle accidents and lessen the risk of personal injury or vehicle damage.

— During the breeding season, bucks become more active searching for does with which to breed. Bucks are bolder, less wary and more susceptible to collisions with vehicles. Deer movement peaks each day near dawn and dusk.

— Anticipate the possibility of a deer on the road and plan how to avoid a collision. Be prepared to stop suddenly, but braking too sharply or swerving may cause you to lose control and roll your vehicle.

— Wear your seat belt.

— When driving near shelterbelts, woodlots or creeks, especially during evening or early morning, slow down and watch for deer. Keep your headlights on bright if there is no approaching traffic.

— When you spot a deer, assume there will be others in the same area.

— Deer often seem to be disoriented or confused by headlights. Some react by freezing in the light, some dart into the path of the vehicle and others bolt away. Honk your horn and flash your headlights to frighten deer away. If there is other traffic on the road, activate your emergency flashers and tap your brakes to alert other drivers to the potential danger.

— Many places where deer-vehicle collisions occur are posted with deer crossing signs.

— If a deer is struck, the driver may take possession of it but must contact a Game and Parks conservation officer within 24 hours to obtain a salvage tag.

Filed under Community Tagged with , , ,

← Older posts

Newer posts →